Allison Rief, EdD

Dr. Allison Rief is the Department Chair for courses included in Entry Point, Critical Thinking, Quantitative & Scientific Reasoning, and the Honors Program within the Academic Engagement Center at UAGC. She also serves on Doctoral Committees, teaches the Doctoral In-Residence, and participates on numerous committees across the university. Allison previously served as an Associate Dean and was the Program Chair for multiple programs within the field of Early Childhood Education and Child Development at UAGC. Dr. Rief earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Teacher Education in Multicultural Studies from University of Southern California, a Masters of Education from University of California Los Angeles, and a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from University of California San Diego. Dr. Rief began her career as a mentor and teacher’s aide in schools along the US/Mexico border. The experience made her realize she wanted a long-term career in education. She taught in the LA Unified School District for a dozen years, earning a National Board Certification in 2006 and the honor of being named a Los Angeles Unified School District and Los Angeles Country Teacher of the Year in 2010. Throughout her tenure at UAGC, she has worked on numerous research projects that ranged in topics from critical thinking and writing skills to measures of faculty performance and perceptions of a culture of care. Dr. Rief currently resides in San Diego, CA with her husband and their daughter and son. When not shaping the minds of her students, she loves traveling to exotic places and spending time outside – running, hiking, and lounging at the beach.